72 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



the growth of the trees more early in the season on the level land 

 than it did on the dry clay soil; and that the rains and w^arm 

 weather of late autumn Avould cause a greater activity in the trees 

 on the level rich land, that had made but a slight growth in the first 

 part of the season, than it would on those that made a better growth 

 early in the season, and had, to a certain extent, matured their wood. 

 My own experience woidd indicate that a warm, Avell-drained soil is 

 favorable to a vigorous growth early in the season — that a cold 

 damp soil is not so. That with a vigorous growth eafhj in the sea- 

 son there is not the liability of the trees and plants making so late 

 a growth in the latter part of the season, even when circumstances 

 are favorable for such growth, as when the growth has been poor 

 and checked by wet soil and unfavorable surroundings. 



Sliould these conclusions be correct, a partial remedy might be 

 found in more thorough drainage — in inducing an early, free 

 growth, and, perhaps, by more thorough cultivation, protecting the 

 trees from the extreme changes of heat and drouth to which they 

 are often subjected. 



As far as we visited the orchards, the average crop of apples 

 was light. In some cases Ben Davis was doing very well. Probably 

 one-half of the winter apples in this portion of the district this 

 year were of this variety. 



Nearly all of the trees of Snow Apple that we saw were unusually 

 vigorous and healthy, many of them with good crops of fruit on 

 them. This we do not understand, as in the nursery we have usually 

 found the Snow to show the effects of cold as soon as almost any 

 variety. In two or three instances we heard of orchards that were 

 well laden witli fruit, which were represented to be in warm shel- 

 tered locations, and were not affected by the cold north and east 

 winds of Spring. Probal)ly. on account of their location, the blcoin 

 was too far advanced to be affected by the cold storms that are sup- 

 posed to have blasted the most of our apple crop. 



This year has been a very favorable one for the development of 

 insect life in many forms. The aphis on the apple, particularly, has 

 been more abundant than for several years. Some fifteen or twentj 

 years ago we recollect that they were very troublesome on our nur- 

 sery trees, seriously checking the growth. With us they have been 

 very plenty this year, in some cases covering entire rows for twenty 

 rods in length. Other plants have suffered very much from the 

 same pest; in one case, one-third of an acre of turnips were all liter- 

 ally covered with them, root and tops. The canker worm and bark 

 louse, which were so destructive a few years ago, seem to have 

 almost entirely disappeared. The codlin moth was not as abundant 

 in proportion to the quantity of fruit grown, giving us a larger por- 

 tion of perfect fruit than for several years past. Caterpillars of 

 different varieties were very abundant, also the leaf roller, which in 

 many orchards has been a serious check to the growth of trees. We 



